Capless wig

ABSTRACT

A capless wig consisting of an elastic wig frame and wefted hair strips, all of which are assembled onto a water soluble liner that is shaped in the form of a human head, with the water soluble liner being subsequently dissolved by washing after completion of the wig.

nite States Wanderman et al.

CAPLESS WIG Inventors: Robert M. Wander-man; Alice R.

Wanderman, both of 126 Monroe St., both of Lawrence, NY. 11559 Filed: Oct. 29, 1971 Appl. No.: 193,793

U.S. Cl. 132/53 Int. Cl A413 3/00 Field of Search 132/53, 54, 56, 5;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1901 Dorenwend 132/53 [111 3,812,867 [451 May 28, 1974 3,444,865 5/1969 De Vita 132/53 3,645,279 2/1972 lmre 132/53 Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-II Q. Lever Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Freeman & Taylor [5 7] ABSTRACT A capless wig consisting of an elastic wig frame and wefted hair strips, all of which are assembled onto a water soluble liner that is shaped in the form of a human head, with the water soluble liner being subsequently dissolved by washing after completion of the wig.

4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures mmmmes m4 3.812.867

SHE] 1 0F 3 INVENTORS ROBERT'MWANDERMAN AL/CE R. WANDERMAN ATTORNEYS minimums m4 3,812,867

SHEET 2 BF 3 INVENTORS ALICE R. WANDERMAN J/a u'uugw A T TORNEYS ROBERT M. WANDERMAN;

PAri mtnmzam 3.8121867 SHEEI 3 0? 3 INVENTORS ROBERT M. WA NDERMANi Y ALICE R. WANDERMAN A TTORNEYS CAPLESS wro BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the art of wig construction wherein human or artifical hair is secured to a wig frame in order to make an attractive hair piece for the user.

The particular improvement here lies with respect to 1 DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Dorenwend U.S. Pat. No. 670,357 shows a frame made up of longitudinally inextensible weft and warp ribbons that are stitched together to form the base to which hair is added to make a wig.

Dorenward must, of necessity, utilize a pattern G and does not contemplate the use of a water soluble building base as taught by the Applicants.

In DeVita U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,865 there is shown an elastic frame work of longitudinally and latitudinally extending elastic members. Hair is woven to the members 1 1, 12, 13, and 14 for the purpose of making a wig, and the principal objective of the DeVita reference is to provide a wig having large openings therein so that the hair of the user may be pulled through to blend with the hair of the wig. Again in the DeVita reference there is no suggestion as to use of a water soluble building base and, further, in DeVita there is no intersecting of the various members in a focal area as set forth in Applicants device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Applicants have discovered that by utilizing a water soluble base in combination with a wig frame that is partly made up of elastic members and partly made up of inextensible hair units, that a greatly improved wig will be produced.

The use of the water soluble base permits the same to be destroyed by water at the completion of the wigh making operation, while yet permitting the same to be utilized during such wigmaking operation for the purpose of more efficiently securing the wig frame components thereto as will hereinafter be described.

Production of a lightweight capless wig on a production basis accordingly becomes the principal object of this invention, with other objects of the invention becomming more apparent upon a reading of the follow ing brief specification, considered and interpreted in view of the accompanying drawings.

OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing one of the initial steps in the wig-making operation wherein the longitudinal members are secured with respect to the water soluble cap liner.

0 bly.

FIG. 2 shows an alternate manner of starting wherein the latitudinal border band is secured to the'water soluble cap liner as the first operational s tep.

FIG. 3 is a similar side view showing the second step wherein the border band and longitudinal strips are secured with respect to the water soluble cap.

FIG. 4 is a similar view but showing the latitudinal hair wefts being added in the wig-making operation.

FIG. 5 is a simulated view of a completed wig assem- FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 are side, front, and rear views, respectively, of the wig frame.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged elevation of the wig frame in greater detail.

Referring now to the drawings, reference is made first to FIGS. 1 through 5 wherein a sequential series of wig-building operations are pictorially illustrated.

For the purposes of definition, the words longitudinal and latitudinal will be used to define the direction and location of the various structutal components that make up the improved wig that is the subject of this invention.

Thus, where the work latitudinal is used, it will be used in a sense of going generally from the forehead, around one ear, around the back of the neck and up over the other ear to join the forehead portion, with this being especially true with respect to the l atitudinal border band 12 that is shown in FIG. 2, for example.

On the other hand, where the work longitudinal is used, it will mean in a sense of going over the top of the head, as from ear to ear, or forehead to neck, for example.

With the foregoing definitions in mind and again referring to FIG. 1, it will be noted that a series of longitudinally extending elastic ribs 13,13 have been stitched with either conventional or liquid soluble thread or otherwise secured, as by gluing with conventional or soluble gluing mediums for example, to the liner 10, with it being preferable in this re gard to first mark the liner 10 with some form of indication as to the position where the ribs 13,13 should be applied.

It will also be noted in FIG. 1 that the ribs 13,13 prefband 12 by use of conventional sewing techniques or,

in the alternative, by use of adhesives, hot stitching or other conventional means of securing these members together.

The next step of the wig-building operation is shown in FIG. 4 wherein a series of l atitudinally inextensible hair weftings are being secured first with respect to the border band 12 and then progressively upward toward the focal point 14 in closely spaced relationship with each other so as to be generally arranged in latitudinally parallel relationship with each other.

Each hair wefting 15 preferably comprises a thin strand around which the strands of human or artifical hair has been woven in accordance with conventional techniques that are known in this regard.

Upon completing attachment of all of the hair wefting units 15,15, the wig will assume the external appearance shown in FIG. 5, and when this has been completed, the wig needs merely to be removed from the sewing unit 11 and at this time subjected to the influence of water which will serve to dissolve the liner and thus create a capless wig of the character described.

With reference to the liner material, Applicants have found that polyvinyl alcohol, provided in sheet form, will provide an extremely suitable liner for this purpose since it is thin enough to be folded to the requisite form shown in FIG. 1 and yet strong enough to permit the ribs 13,13, the border band 12, and the hair wefts 15,15 to be secured thereto for wig construction purposes.

It is, of course, apparent that other water soluble materials other than PVA could be employed without deviating from the scope of the invention.

FIG. 9 shows in greater detail the construction of the wig frame, which is generally designated by the numeral 20. it will be noted that this includes an arrangement wherein the border frame 12 is made up of a forehead piece 12a having prefinished edges 12!) and 120 and further including opposed metal stays in the end area as indicated by the numeral 12d. Side elastic portions 12e, 12f are connected together and further connect to the rear band 12g which may or may not be elastic as desired, as clearly shown in FIG. 9 of the drawings.

It is to be understood that the above description is for only one half of the wig frame, with it being understood that the other half of the w ig frame that is not illustrated in'FlG. 9 is similarly constructed.

It will also be noted that by this arrangement a reinforced border band is provided that can provide additional comfort to the user while still serving as a point in which the elastic ribs 13,13 are secured, as shown and previously described.

With reference to the ribs 13,13 and the border band 12, it is to be understood that there preferably is a very definite relationship between these two elements that results in an improved wig frame that will be more com fortable to the user.

Specifically, the band 12 preferably has a lesser degree of elasticity than do any of the ban members 13,13. Stated otherwise, the recovery properties of the band 12 are such that it will avoid latitudinal displacement notwithstanding the longitudinal forces acting upon the border band by the bands 13,13 which are attempting to latitudinally displace the same.

By making the bands 13,13 of minimal elastic recov- 'ery properties, the same will not displace the border band 12 but will none-the-less contact themselves into a condition of snug relationship with the head of the user when positioned thereon.

It is also to be understood that while elastic material has been indicated as being used for the bands 13,13, the same could be made up of a pleated material that could be longitudinally extensible upon the application of longitudinally applied forces to the opposed ends thereof. This would be the full equivalent of the illustrated elastic bands 13,13 provided that the proper pleating arrangements were made to permit longitudinal extension of the bands 13,13.

it is also to be understood that it is not required that all bands 13,13 converge on a central focal point since equivalent results could be obtained if the bands were to be criss-crossed into a network that was made up of band members running at a combined latitudinal and longitudinal direction and intersecting each other so as to form the appropriate network of band elements that constituted the wig frame, with the only requirement being that these members intersect each other so as to define an appropriate wig frame member.

What is claimed is:

1. A capless wig of the character described, compris- A. an axially extensible, endless, latidudinally positionable border band;

B. a network of flexible bands connected to each other and said border band and defining a skeltonlike wig frame suitable for use on a human head; said wig frame being defined by a series of openings whose total area greatly e xceeds the area of said bands whereby an airy ventilated wig frame is provided;

C. a focal point defined by said network;

D. a series of substantially axially inextensible wefted hair strips secured at longitudinally spaced points thereof to said flexible band, whereby said hair strips flexibly cover said series of openings to define a wig;

E. said wig frame being longitudinally extensible between said focal point and said border band and B. said border band ex erting a contractile force upon said network of bands and said wefted hair strips and urging the same into longitudinally and latitudinally snug relationship with the head of the wearer when the wig is positioned thereon; said border band having a lesser degree of elasticity than any of said flexible bands of said network whereby latidudinal displacement of said band is avoided.

2. A capless wig of the character described, compris- A. an axially extensible, endless, latidudinally positionable border band;

B. a network of flexible bands connected to each other and said border band and defining a skeltonlike wig frame suitable for use on a human head; said wig frame being defined by a series of openings whose total area greatly exceeds the area of said bands whereby an airy ventilated wig frame is provided;

C. a focal point defined by said network D. a series of substantially a xially inextensible wefted hair strips secured at longitudinally spaced points thereof to said flexible band, whereby said hair strips flexibly cover said series of openings to define a wig;

E. at least some of said flexible bands being expandable longitudinally to a greater length upon the application of longitudinally extending pressure thereto; said longitudinally expandable bands having a memory property that causes the same to retract to normal length upon release of said longitudinally extending pressure thereon; and

F. said border band exerting a contractile force upon said network of bands and said wefted hair strips and urging the same into longitudinally and latitudinally snug relationship with the head of the wearer when te wig is positioned thereon; said border band having a lesser degree of elasticity than any of said flexible bands of said network whereby latitudinal displacement of said band is avoided. 3. A wig of the character described comprising an axially extensible, endless, latitudinally positionable border band; a network of flexible bands mutually interconnected at at least one point thereon, and at a second point to said border band, said network being defined by a series of openings of generally wedge shape, the total area of which greatly exceeds the area of said bands, whereby an airy ventilated frame is provided; and a series of substantially inextensible wefted hair strips secured to said network at spaced points to overlie said openings, said strips being free of interconnection with said network between said spaced points and said border exerting a contractile force upon said network of bands and said wefted hair strips and urging the same into longitudinally and latitudinally snug relationship with the head of the wearer when the wig is positioned thereon; said border band having a lesser degree of elasticity than any of said flexible bands of said network whereby l atitudinal displacement of said band is avoided.

4. A wig of the character described, comprising; an axially extensible, endless, latitudinally positionable border band; a network of flexible bands each extending longitudinally with respect to said band and each having the opposed ends thereof secured to said border band at arcuately spaced points; said network being defined by a series of openings, the total area of which greatly exceeds the area of said bands, whereby an airy ventilated frame is provided; and a series of substantially inextensible wefted hair strips secured to said network at spaced points to overlie said openings, said strips being free of interconnection with said network between said spaced points; and said border band exerting a contractile force upon said network of bands and said wefted hair strips and urging the same into longitudinally and latitudinally snug relationship with the head of the w earer when the wig is positioned thereon, said border having a lesser degree of elasticity than any of said flexible bands of said network whereby latitudinal displacement of said band is avoided. 

1. A capless wig of the character described, comprising; A. an axially extensible, endless, latidudinally positionable border band; B. a network of flexible bands connected to each other and said border band and defining a skelton-like wig frame suitable for use on a human head; said wig frame being defined by a series of openings whose total area greatly e xceeds the area of said bands whereby an airy ventilated wig frame is provided; C. a focal point defined by said network; D. a series of substantially axially inextensible wefted hair strips secured at longitudinally spaced points thereof to said flexible band, whereby said hair strips flexibly cover said series of openings to define a wig; E. said wig frame being longitudinally extensible between said focal point and said border band and E. said border band ex erting a contractile force upon said network of bands and said wefted hair strips and urging the same into longitudinally and latitudinally snug relationship with the head of the wearer when the wig is positioned thereon; said border band having a lesser Degree of elasticity than any of said flexible bands of said network whereby latidudinal displacement of said band is avoided.
 2. A capless wig of the character described, comprising; A. an axially extensible, endless, latidudinally positionable border band; B. a network of flexible bands connected to each other and said border band and defining a skelton-like wig frame suitable for use on a human head; said wig frame being defined by a series of openings whose total area greatly exceeds the area of said bands whereby an airy ventilated wig frame is provided; C. a focal point defined by said network ; D. a series of substantially a xially inextensible wefted hair strips secured at longitudinally spaced points thereof to said flexible band, whereby said hair strips flexibly cover said series of openings to define a wig; E. at least some of said flexible bands being expandable longitudinally to a greater length upon the application of longitudinally extending pressure thereto; said longitudinally expandable bands having a memory property that causes the same to retract to normal length upon release of said longitudinally extending pressure thereon; and F. said border band exerting a contractile force upon said network of bands and said wefted hair strips and urging the same into longitudinally and latitudinally snug relationship with the head of the wearer when te wig is positioned thereon; said border band having a lesser degree of elasticity than any of said flexible bands of said network whereby latitudinal displacement of said band is avoided.
 3. A wig of the character described comprising an axially extensible, endless, latitudinally positionable border band; a network of flexible bands mutually interconnected at at least one point thereon, and at a second point to said border band, said network being defined by a series of openings of generally wedge shape, the total area of which greatly exceeds the area of said bands, whereby an airy ventilated frame is provided; and a series of substantially inextensible wefted hair strips secured to said network at spaced points to overlie said openings, said strips being free of interconnection with said network between said spaced points and said border exerting a contractile force upon said network of bands and said wefted hair strips and urging the same into longitudinally and latitudinally snug relationship with the head of the wearer when the wig is positioned thereon; said border band having a lesser degree of elasticity than any of said flexible bands of said network whereby l atitudinal displacement of said band is avoided.
 4. A wig of the character described, comprising; an axially extensible, endless, latitudinally positionable border band; a network of flexible bands each extending longitudinally with respect to said band and each having the opposed ends thereof secured to said border band at arcuately spaced points; said network being defined by a series of openings, the total area of which greatly exceeds the area of said bands, whereby an airy ventilated frame is provided; and a series of substantially inextensible wefted hair strips secured to said network at spaced points to overlie said openings, said strips being free of interconnection with said network between said spaced points; and said border band exerting a contractile force upon said network of bands and said wefted hair strips and urging the same into longitudinally and latitudinally snug relationship with the head of the w earer when the wig is positioned thereon; said border having a lesser degree of elasticity than any of said flexible bands of said network whereby latitudinal displacement of said band is avoided. 